Johannes Suspension, Benni’s Blessing In Disguise?

Robyn Johannes' Red Card Could Have Been A Blessing In Disguise For Head Coach Benni McCarthy

The red card issued to Robyn Johannes during Cape Town City’s previous Absa Premiership clash could have been a blessing in disguise to Head Coach Benni McCarthy.

The 31-year-old centre back picked up two yellow card bookings during his side’s league encounter against Mamelodi Sundowns last Friday, which saw referee Victor Gomez subsequently reach for his back pocket to see the Citizens down to 10-men before the final whistle.

Johannes’ red card means that the player will be suspended for two PSL fixtures, the upcoming Nedbank clash against Bidvest Wits and City’s league encounter against Kaizer Chiefs thereafter.

City will lock horns with Wits this evening, February 07, at the Bidvest Wits Stadium and Johannes’ absence from the encounter could have saved him from any potentially controversial opinions that could have circulated after the clash.

As previously confirmed by the club, Johannes recently put pen to paper on a pre-contract with Wits, which will see him join up with the Students as a free agent at the end of his deal with City on June 30.

With the player having since committed his future to the Clever Boys, there could have been some doubt placed in Head Coach McCarthy’s mind, about whether the player would be focused enough tonight if he was to be available for selection to face his soon-to-be employers.

Although, as a professional still under contract to the Citizens, the player has proven to have maintained the same performances week in week out, despite the fact that he will be leaving the club in five months time.

“The chairman understands the situation, we had a long chat about it, but I am fully committed to the club as I was from the first match I played,” Johannes previously said in a press conference last month, following the news of his pre-contract with Wits.

However, with McCarthy now having no worries about his team captain’s focus, since he will be suspended during tonight’s Nedbank Cup clash, whether to play him against his future employers might be a decision to revisit when City host the Students in Cape Town in two weeks time.

Comments

@Gqoks000 ; the said players were not happy to relocate to Cape Town given the nature of life in that part of our Country. They were not happy about leaving Gauteng and their families. They were just honouring their contracts. It was bound to happen at the end of their contracts.

Citizens are losing good players, Nanyama, Jayiya, Ngoma, Majoro and recruiting cows (Rusike). I think they must dig deep if they wanna stay up on PSL and have a good run on CCC. Maybe its time they start developing as well.